Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततः सिद्धिं परां प्राप्ता एतर्त्तार्थप्रभावतः । ततो नागेश्वरं लिंगं स्थापयामासुरूर्जितम्

Transliteration

tataḥ siddhiṃ parāṃ prāptā etarttārthaprabhāvataḥ | tato nāgeśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ sthāpayāmāsurūrjitam

Translation

پھر اسی مقدّس حکایت کے اثر سے انہوں نے اعلیٰ ترین سِدّھی پائی؛ اس کے بعد انہوں نے قوت والے ناگیشور لِنگ کی स्थापना کی۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kala (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (ablatival adverb)

• siddhim: success, attainment
• siddhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• parām: supreme
• parām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (सिद्धिम्)

• prāptāḥ: having obtained, they attained
• prāptāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (आप्, धातु)
• Form: क्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• etad: of this
• etad: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6) एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-सम्बन्ध)

• artha: matter, purpose
• artha: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपद; अर्थ (m.)

• prabhāvataḥ: from/because of the power of this (rite/thing)
• prabhāvataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad-artha-prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक); एतद् + अर्थ + प्रभाव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; समास: एतदर्थप्रभाव (due to the power of this matter)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kala (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक

• nāgeśvaram: Nāgeśvara
• nāgeśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक); नाग + ईश्वर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समास: नागेश्वर (Lord of Nāgas)

• liṅgam: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• liṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• sthāpayāmāsuḥ: they established
• sthāpayāmāsuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था, धातु) + ṇic (causative)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• ūrjitam: mighty, powerful
• ūrjitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrjita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (लिङ्गम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nāga kings, radiant after austerity, ceremonially install a powerful Śiva-liṅga—Nāgeśvara—on a sanctified platform; priests chant, waters are poured in abhiṣeka, and the air feels charged with achieved siddhi.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgeśvara
• Śiva (implied by liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred narration (māhātmya) itself carries transformative power, culminating in devotion expressed through establishing and worshiping Śiva as Nāgeśvara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to the Nāgeśvara-liṅga locale connected with the Nāradīya-saras episode in this chapter’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (the establishment of a Śiva-liṅga), implying subsequent worship at the newly founded shrine.